publishing and pop culture phenomenon that is Harry Potter continued to chug along at full steam in 2005, with the sixth volume of the popular J.K. Rowling series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, selling an astounding 6.9 million copies in the first 24 hours after its 16 July 2005 release. As the date of issue approached, many fans eagerly speculated on and debated about what events might transpire in the new book, while others anxiously tried to avoid learning anything about its contents, lest any revelations about its plot lessen the surprise and enjoyment of first readings.

So, one might imagine a Harry Potter fan being quite disappointed over inadvertently learning a plot spoiler from a forthcoming book, maybe even despondent to the point of suicide. That believability makes for good satire, which is exactly what the article referenced above is.